Children at Farndon St Peter’s Cross Keys Academy get a lesson on water safety by the River Trent from Nottinghamshire and Newark Police, the fire and rescue service, St John Ambulance and the Environment Agency
Primary school children who live in a village that borders the River Trent were given a valuable lesson in water safety.
With the school holidays approaching, Farndon’s police beat officer, PC Emma Weatherhill organised a multi-agency day highlighting the risks of the cold and fast-flowing River Trent.
Children in years 4, 5 and 6 at Farndon St Peter’s Cross Keys Church of England Academy spent the day down by the river being taught the perils water holds, as inviting as it may seem.
The Nottinghamshire Police Underwater Search Team joined the local beat team and rural policing officers as part of the education drive.
Also on hand was the Environment Agency with its power boat and underwater drone. Children could first see themselves on the screen of the drone’s viewfinder before it was launched. Each child could have a go and a discarded shopping trolley was one of the submersed and hidden hindrances that could could cause injury.
The school’s deputy head, Victoria Cobb said: “We felt that the children needed some sort of hands-on experience of the danger that the river poses.
“We do get some risky behaviour as they get older.
“It’s a very important safety message that we teach in school, but there’s a big difference between just a teacher saying it and hearing it from the people who are involved at the sharp end.
“Although we teach water safety in school, it isn’t part of the National Curriculum, so many don’t. We think it should be.”
PC Weatherhill said: “Becuase these children live and go to school so close to the river, it is very important lesson that they must learn.
“There are very real dangers associated to rivers, such as undercurrents, deceptively fast flow, the cold and debris that can be hidden beneath the surface.
“We want to educate these young people that while it may look inviting, it is highly dangerous.
“We’ve done through multi-agencies to cover all bases. We’ve been very grateful for that assistance and the day has gone very well.”
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’s water rescue unit was on hand to show the children how to keep safe and what to do in an emergency. Children could also get the feel of life-preserving rings and play with some of the kit such as ropes and bouyancy aids.
They also did demonstrations on the river that involved a firefighter falling in from their inflatable boat and colleagues returning to pluck him to safety.
St John Ambualance was also on hand to demonstrate CPR.
PC Weatherhill also organised a competition within the school whereby children could design a water safety poster and the winners could have elements of their design added to a grafitti wall on the rear of the Sea Scouts building that highlights the river’s risk.
The location is a popular place for children and teenagers to enter the river in summer.
PC Richard Mosley, of the police undrewater search team, said the idiiocy of teenagers risking their lives for a few likes or ticks on social media was highlighted last week when youths filmed eachother jumping from the A46 bridge into the Trent, a long drop into far shallower water.
